WITH games coming thick and fast at this time of year, Mardy were in action at home to Ponthir on Wednesday evening, reports CLIVE HARRY.

The visitors made a strong start and dominated the early stages with a few half chances going begging until the 19th minute when a drive from just outside the area looked to be heading for the roof of the net only for keeper Chris Price to make an excellent fingertip save which diverted the ball just over the bar.

A minute later Price got down well again to save a shot at the base of the post. The two escapes seemed to spur Mardy into action and their first shot on target by Danny Wait after 25 minutes was safely held by Ponthir keeper Oliver Rosemeyer.

Minutes later top scorer Nathan Price ran onto a through ball 20 yards out and did well to get a shot away a split second before being flattened by Rosemeyer.

Price's effort bounced agonisingly just past the post before play was brought back for an unproductive free kick and Rosemeyer was shown a yellow card which was probably borderline red. Play then switched to the other end where keeper Price was called into action again with another excellent save from a fiercely struck free kick.

The game was developing into a highly entertaining affair and Mardy could well have taken the lead on the stroke of half time when a lovely cross by Ben Jones was met by a header from Nathan Price which looked to be heading for the corner of the net only for Rosemeyer to make a superb full length save.

In contrast to the first half, Mardy made a strong start after the break and after four minutes, a perfectly placed free kick from Owen Vaughan deceived everyone in a crowded box but bounced inches wide before the same player had a shot well saved by Rosemeyer three minutes later.

It was becoming the Owen Vaughan show at this stage with another effort being well held after the Mardymidfielder had worked himself into a shooting position before he went even closer after 68 minutes when another well taken free kick was tipped over the bar at full stretch by Overmeyer who was doing well to keep Mardy at bay.

With eight minutes remaining Mardy's best chance of the game arrived when some neat passing put Wait through on goal but the Mardy winger delayed his shot and the ball was cleared.

With time virtually up, it looked as if an entertaining game would end scoreless only for an incredible last three minutes which would have left spectators unsure whether to feel stunned or elated.

With the clock showing 88 minutes, Mardy were awarded a free kick on the corner of the box which was entrusted to Ben Jones.

The left back's kick was hit with dip and swerve and with the home side about to celebrate a goal, the ball hit the crossbar and came out before being cleared long downfield.

Disappointment then turned to misery when a defender's under hit back pass left Price stranded and Ponthir's James Obern was left with the simple task of scoring into an empty net.

To the home team's immense credit, heads didn't drop and they immediately threw everything at the visitors before in the 91st minute, the ball was swung into the visitors' area resulting in a frantic goalmouth scramble.

Shots and headers were blocked inside the six yard box in a frantic passage of play before a hand ball by Ponthir sub Francesco Ronzoni resulted in a red card being awarded and a penalty given.

With the tension almost unbearable, Price stepped up to add to his five goal haul this season with a nerveless spot kick into the corner of the net for the equaliser seconds before the final whistle.

Mardy then returned to action on Saturday with a trip to Panteg but, not for the first time this season, the two problems of unavailability and inconsistency raised their head.

Nevertheless, the visitors made a good start and Charlie Morris gave Mardy an early lead with his first competitive goal for the club after an assist from Jamie Laurent.

However, Panteg equalised from the penalty spot ten minutes later and scored twice more as a result of defensive errors to give his side a 3-1 lead at the break.

They increased their lead four minutes after the break but there were no more goals to make the final score 4-1.

Mardy travel to face Tredegar on Saturday (September 13) whilst the 2nds will be at home to Sebastopol FC on Saturday.